People just don’t vanish into thin air. Apparently, Clinton “Clint” Bonnell has, according to a news release from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and Bonnell’s whereabouts remain a mystery. “Sadly, he is still missing,” Lt. Patrice Bogertey with the Sheriff’s Office said Thursday. A former Green Beret soldier and now a student at Methodist University, the 50-year-old Bonnell was last seen on Jan. 27 in the Gray’s Creek community. Bonnell is six feet tall, according to the Sheriff’s Office, and weighs 195 pounds. He last was seen wearing a plaid button-up shirt, a black hoodie and brown pants. He is known, the release says, to work out at Fit4Life Health Club on Owen Drive. If you have information about Bonnell, contact Sgt. J. McLeod at (910) 677-5548 or you may leave an anonymous tip at Cumberland County Crimestoppers by calling (910) 483-TIPS (8477). People just don’t vanish into thin air. Somebody knows something.
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Col. (Ret.) Carl Broadhurst writes in an email about our conversation when President Donald Trump said on Oct. 4 at a town hall campaign rally at the Crown Auditorium that he would, if elected, rename Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. “Your position was that Trump’s comments about changing the name of Fort Bragg were just campaign rhetoric,” says Broadhurst, who resides in Bel Aire, Kan. “I do not recall mentioning to you, but my position was that Trump would do almost anything that generates divisiveness. I still hold that opinion.” Well, Col. Broadhurst, we can’t say Trump didn’t keep his promise, although the plan is not to return the name in honor of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, but to rename the military base in honor of Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, who we’ve learned was stationed at Fort Bragg during World War II.
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Secure your vehicle doors if you reside in the Hope Mills and Gray’s Creek communities, because thieves are on the prowl. There were more than 30 vehicle break-ins this past weekend, according to a news release from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, notably in the Elk Run, Braxton Village, Eastwood Village neighborhoods, and along Rufus Johnson Road. The Sheriff’s Office is urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. Detectives, according to the Sheriff’s Office, are currently looking for a red 2018 Hyundai Sonata with a license plate identification JKK-5085 related to the five suspects. Come to think of it, lock your vehicles no matter where you reside.
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“I appreciated your article in regard to Thom Tillis,” the Rev. Ben West writes in an email about my Feb. 12 CityView column regarding Sen. Tillis’ position about President Trump pardoning all of the insurrectionists convicted in the Jan. 6. 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Tillis just wasn’t in agreement with pardons for the most violent insurrectionists, and the senator was candid about it.
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Just a reminder this is Valentine’s Day, and if it slipped your mind, Harris Teeter, Walgreens and Dollar Tree are open late into the evening. Just a reminder, if you will, to keep you out of the proverbial doghouse.
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The New York Stock Exchange is like a yo-yo; up one day, down the next.
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“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award,” Dr. Jennifer Green, director of Cumberland County Public Health, says in a news release about receiving the 2025 American Medical Association Award for Outstanding Government Service in the Career Public Service at the State or Local Level category. “It is a privilege to serve the citizens of Cumberland County, and I share this recognition with the incredible team at the Cumberland County Department of Public Health. Together, we continue to improve the health and well-being of our community. I look forward to our continuing to make a positive impact on the lives of those we serve.” Green, who was nominated for the honor by Cumberland County Commissioner Glenn Adams, accepted the award on Feb. 11 in Washington, D.C.
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Another career education honor for Marvin Connelly before the Cumberland County Schools superintendent heads into retirement on July 1. “I am deeply honored to be inducted into the Educators Hall of Fame and incredibly grateful for this recognition,” Connelly, 61, says in a news release about his induction into the East Carolina University College of Education Educators Hall of Fame, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. on March 14 in the Fletcher Recital Hall on the ECU campus in Greenville. “Education has been my lifelong passion, and this honor is a testament to the many mentors, colleagues and students who have inspired me along the way. I take great pride in knowing that our collective work has made a lasting impact, and I remain committed to supporting the next generation of educators and leaders.” Connelly earned his undergraduate degree from N.C. State University and master’s and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from ECU. Connelly, who has been with the school system since 2018, is the 2024 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year.
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Some welcome news for Fayetteville firefighters as the city is implementing cancer screenings as part of annual physical health examinations, as CityView’s Morgan Casey reported this week. “Every day, our firefighters put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community,” Fayetteville Fire Chief Kevin Dove says in a news release about the city responding to research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which indicates firefighters have a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer as compared to the general population. “By investing in advanced screening technology, we are taking critical steps to safeguard those who protect us daily.” Elevated cancer risks, according to the release, include testicular cancer; mesothelioma; multiple myeloma; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; skin cancer; malignant melanoma; brain cancer; prostate cancer; colon cancer; and leukemia. The city has allocated more than $45,000 to fund the screenings.
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When it comes to the fight against breast cancer, you’ll find Methodist University students and athletes doing their part, and they’ll be at it again Saturday on the Ramsey Street campus. The Play4Kay women’s basketball game against Southern Virginia University is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the March F. Riddle Center. “My experience with MU started a year after my first round with breast cancer in 2009, when I attended my first Play4Kay game,” Vicki Watson, a Play4Kay volunteer, says in a news release. “I felt wrapped with love from everyone at MU and I haven’t missed a game since. My mantra has always been, ‘I’m in it to end breast cancer.’” It will be the 19th consecutive season the Monarchs have been a part of the basketball game in support of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’ Friends of the Cancer Center. The Play4Kay 5K is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Monarch Stadium. Cost for the 5K is $25 for Methodist students, faculty and staff, and $30 for non-Methodist participants. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Yow is the late N.C. State women’s basketball coach, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and died at age 66 on Jan. 24, 2009. Yow coached the 1988 U.S. Women’s Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in 1988.
Coming Sunday: A grateful teenager is paying it forward
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
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